I said goodbye to my business today.
No, I don't mean the boutique. I am just shy of three years with a cosmetics and skincare company I loved. I thought I was going to be a lifer with this company. I mean at one point I had been in the top 10%. I had received such a large commission check that I was able to put money down on a car when I had no credit.
This company meant the world to me at one point. But it doesn't any more.
I have so many dazed and confused customers that have been asking me what happened, what made me suddenly just stop. You have to understand I was just shy of $15k in sales in the last quarter of last year. It was shocking. If I saw it happen to a friend I would be majorly concerned.
Here is what happened: I wasn't me.
"What? You weren't you? You are giving up financial stability and growth because you don't feel you?".
Yup.
I was tired of having to feel perfect. Of reflecting myself a certain way to fit in with a company. There were things that didn't align with my personality and personal views.
AND THAT'S OK. Not every company or opportunity is going to work for everyone. This is why I push people who are considering a company to truly take a step back and look at it. Does what this company supplies align with what you want to help others do? Does it align with what you need in your life?
Some of these opportunities may be what you need for a season. Shall we recap the companies I have been with?
~A scented wax company- my introduction to direct sales. My leader signed me up, then left, and then my next leader up never reached out. A flat out failure.
~A stainless steel cookware company- my introduction to healthier living and when to stop something due to toxic relationships (which was just within that one dealership and I don't believe reflects the whole company)
~A sexual wellness company - helped me own my sexuality and heal and work through things I was not taught due to the failure of the sex ed system within the USA. I learned how to properly work a business and what great leadership looks like
~The cosmetics and skincare company - I worked through my internal issues with makeup and learned that putting on your war paint is for you and no one else. I learned a lot about teams and leadership and how you can't please everyone from this company. I am forever grateful for this experience
~A chocolate company - learned a lot about parties, what does and doesn't work, got a lot of free chocolate which can now be seen as love handles on my body
~Kitchen accessories company - I did it strictly for fun and learned a lot about online parties as well and got a TON of items. Like I own an ice cream maker- HECK YES!
I have one direct sales that I currently work through my boutique. I have clearly done a lot of sales based companies as you can see and I continue to. How can you trust me?! I'm sure is a common thought.
Here is the thing. Each company served a season. It helped me learn and grow in traits I needed at each time. From an introduction, to learning to distance yourself, how to put value in yourself, how to see it in how you look, how to have fun within a company or two, and now in how to properly dress yourself and show off your passion. I have grown through each to who I am now.
The current Kate is focused on empowering women- it has always been her main reason for doing anything. Current Kate is just doing it in a way she never knew was an option and in a way that suits her so incredibly well. And that is owning her own shop. I may have two direct sales companies within my shop, but they don't define me as a whole like past companies have.
I don't report to anyone. I'm free to be me. The cussing, true, raw Kate. The one who doesn't want to live by the rules of a company dictating every little thing. I am so happy I have found that in owning my own boutique.
I have had more people tell me lately they have never seen me so truly happy. It's because I am unafraid to be me without the worry of a company coming down on me for saying a bad word or anything like that. I'm ME. Not Kate by Insert Company Name.
If you haven't been feeling what you are doing as of late, please take a step back and see if you are being truly you. Look for your hearts work. Is it what you are doing? I hope it is. If it isn't, that's ok. You're in a season change. I can't wait to see what the beautiful summer sun brings you!
I can't wait for you all to truly get to know the real me. You have seen her start to emerge more and more and she is finally ready to step into the sunlight completely.
